Tennis Ficlets
by Miss Selarne
Summary: Various little unconnected ficlets among the Prince of Tennis fandom. Anything I feel like writing at the time, romance, gen, crack. All info is at the top of each story. Requests can be made at user page or through reviews.
1. Help Me!: Gen

**Title: **Help Me!  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Momo, Katsuo - Katsuo/OC  
**Word Count: **232  
**Warning(s): **het  
**Summary: **Katsuo has a few troubles with girls and turns to Momo for help.  
**A/N:** Alrighty then. A little ficlet collection to keep me occupied and writing. Will take almost all suggestions for something you want to see.

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"She dumped me," Katsuo cried, "You have to help me!" He collapsed onto the floor.

"Hey, hey," Momo said, backing away. He didn't know how to deal with crying freshmen.

"Please," Katsuo said, latching onto Momo's leg. "I don't know who else to talk to."

"What about Kachiro?" Momo asked, still trying to escape. "Or Horio?"

Katsuo sniffled and let go of Momo's leg before standing up. "They can't help either. They didn't even know I was going out with Ayame-chan. Please, just help me get back together with her!"

"Echizen?" Momo pleaded. The tears were still falling. He couldn't do this! Couldn't he turn to someone else?

Katsuo turned around. "I guess you can't help me either. I bet you never even had a girlfriend."

Momo was taken aback. That was a low shot. Ok, so he never _did_ have a girlfriend, but that didn't mean he didn't know how to deal with girls! "Alright, you little munchkin. I'll help. Now, the first thing you need to do is accept the fact that she is always right no matter what. So you need to apologize even if it's her fault." Momo explained all the dos and don'ts of relationships.

"Thanks," Katsuo smiled before leaving the clubroom to go find Ayame and try to win her back.

"He's got a point though," Momo thought to himself. "Why don't I have a girlfriend?"


	2. Evil Has a Gender: Gen

**Title: **Evil Has a Gender  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Shinji, Ann - None  
**Word Count: **273  
**Warning(s): **het, shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Shinji mumbles about the evil of the opposite sex. Ann probably isn't the best person to talk to.  
**A/N:** Yay for Fudomine! My second drabble has a character dating an OC too…Strange…

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Shinji growled into his vanilla shake as he watched Kamio chatter away to a girl on Fudomine's other tennis team. Why was Kamio out on a date with her anyways?

"It's not like she's all that cute either," Shinji mumbled, voicing his thoughts. "She's just another girl, nothing special." His tablemate sighed.

Ann didn't know why she agreed to go out for shakes with Shinji. Any attractive qualities he had were drowned out by his incessant murmuring. Sure, you got used to it after a while, but still.

"I bet that girl doesn't even know who Kamio is," Shinji continued, oblivious to the thought processes of the girl across from him. "She just saw a pretty face and wanted to go out with it. All girls are like that, they just want to go out with a good looking guy. Females are evil." Ann gave Shinji a warning glance, which he promptly ignored. "They try to steal away your friends. You'd never see me going out with a girl."

Ann had enough. A free shake was nice, but Shinji just wanted to spy on Kamio's date. And he kept saying girls were evil, which they most certainly were not! Ann whapped Shinji on the head and left.

"Ow," he said. "That wasn't nice. See, that just proves my point. Girls are evil. And hit you for no reason. And now that girl with Kamio is leaving too. I wonder why? Oh well, at least now Kamio won't be bothered by her anymore. And I can have my friend back." Shinji got up and walked over to Kamio's table before occupying the vacant seat.


	3. Snuggle Up: Gen

**Title: **Snuggle Up  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Shiba, Tezuka, Fuji - None  
**Word Count: **296  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Shiba tries to get cozy. Tezuka is not amused.  
**A/N:** Hee hee. These little stories are fun!

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"Tezuka-kun!" Shiba called across the Seigaku tennis courts. "Tezuka-kun!"

Tezuka steadfastly ignored the reporter as he watched over practice. She always left eventually.

Shiba pouted. Tezuka was ignoring her again! Didn't he know that when a pretty woman called your name you were supposed to come running? Shiba marched up to the section of fence closest to Tezuka.

"Hello? Tezuka-kun, I'm trying to talk to you!" she shouted. Only training in dealing with his fan club prevented Tezuka from flinching away from the loud screech.

He sighed; sometimes it was best just to give in and hope they would go away. He walked outside the tennis courts to see what the insane reporter wanted. "Yes?"

"Hi!" Shiba smiled. "Now, I was thinking about featuring you in my next column so I'm just going to need your picture…" She trailed off as she sidled up next to him.

Tezuka frowned (well, more than he normally does) and asked, "What are you doing?"

Shiba grinned at him mischievously. "Why I'm taking your picture of course!"

It was then that Fuji walked up. "Oh, you're taking pictures? Why don't you let me help?" He took the camera from Shiba's hand and proceeded to squish her and Tezuka closer together. "Now smile!" The camera went off and before they could move, Fuji whipped out his own camera and took another few pictures.

"Thank you, Fuji-kun!" Shiba skipped away, smiling happily as she finally had gotten a picture of her and Tezuka.

"Fuji," Tezuka stated, turning his glare upon the culprit. "Go, 30 laps. And give me your camera."

"I think I liked that picture, I'll be keeping it for later," Fuji said before taking off to do those laps. Thirty laps were nothing compared to Tezuka's expression caught on camera.


	4. A Few Problems: MomoRyo

**Title: **A Few Problems  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Momo, Eiji, Ryoma – Momo/Ryoma  
**Word Count: **650  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Momo has problems trying to confess to Echizen.  
**A/N:** Request from **Tora Macaw**. Not really all that romantic-y; can't write it. All ends up like this silly little thing. But at least it's longer!

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Now, being a good senpai, Momoshiro was supposed to watch out for Echizen. After all, he was one of the few people who actually spent time with the kid outside tennis practice and school. So, as a good senpai, he was supposed to make sure nothing happened to Echizen. The only problem was that Momo kept entertaining daydreams of throwing him against a wall and ravishing him. Major problem there.

Thus did Momo find himself asking _his_ favorite senpai for help. Eiji-senpai probably wasn't the best choice, but hey, Momo wasn't necessarily the brightest bulb in the pack. He conned Eiji into treating him for burgers before asking for help.

"See, there's this person I like—"

"Is it Ochibi?" Eiji asked, cutting Momo off and plopping some fries in his mouth. He noticed Momo's gaping expression and explained himself. "Me, and Fuji have fun making bets. You and Ochibi are the most amusing."

"Fuji-senpai knows too?" Eiji nodded. "He's not going to use it against me or anything, is he?" A healthy fear of Fuji kept you safe.

"Nah, he's having fun messing with messing the other schools," Eiji said. "Now, advice. Ochibi doesn't notice a lot of things. Don't tiptoe around the subject. Just come out and say it."

"That's all? I can do that," Momo perked up. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard as he thought. Then the daydream returned. Eiji noticed the look in his eyes.

"And no kissing him," Eiji stated, bringing Momo back to real-life. "Ochibi isn't a very physical person. Let him decide what happens next."

"How do you know so much, Eiji-senpai?" Momo asked in awe.

Eiji grinned. "Sometimes Inui likes to join in on Fuji's and my bets. He's usually the first one to notice everything." Momo scooted back. Eiji, Fuji, and Inui all working together. Maybe there was something about Eiji-senpai he didn't know about if he liked to spend time with those two…

_**LINE OF HAPPINESS**_

"Hey, Echizen!" Momo shouted as the two met at the street courts.

Ryoma let out a mouth-cracking yawn. Momo-senpai wanted something from him again, that's the only explanation for waking him up so early in the morning. The courts were deserted and they were the only two there. "What?" he grumbled out.

Momo grinned at him. "I just wanted to play a match, that's all!" Ryoma blinked slowly at him. Whatever. He'd get it out of Momo later. They took their places and their game began.

The score was 30-40 in Ryoma's favor before Momo spoke again. He swallowed nervously, thwacking the ball back. "You know, Echizen, I really like spending time with you."

"That's nice, Momo-senpai," Ryoma replied, hitting the tennis ball into the corner. "I like spending time with you too."

A frown. Guess Eiji-senpai was right. The best thing to do would be to just say it. Just say those words. The only problem was, which words to say? It was too soon for 'I love you.' He wouldn't get 'I like you.' And putting the words 'I think' in there made him sound weak. Momo was starting to think that he should've figured out what he was going to say earlier. And he was sounding like some love-struck girl…

"Momo-senpai, you're really pathetic," Ryoma said, breaking Momo out of his thoughts. It was then he realized he'd been standing still for the past few minutes, vacantly staring at Ryoma.

"Me, pathetic?" Momo was most certainly not pathetic! He was conveniently ignoring his whole inner monologue earlier.

"Right, right," Ryoma said as he walked over to the bench to grab some water. "Which is why you can't say what you're thinking. I already said it. I like spending time with you."

"Wait a minute, so," Momo trailed off. Ryoma nodded. "Well, why didn't you say that earlier!" he shouted before stealing Ryoma's cap, messing up his hair, and running off with the hat.


	5. Poke: Gen

**Title: **Poke  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Kirihara, Niou, Sanada - None  
**Word Count: **358  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Kirihara gets bored, Niou intervenes, and they decide that Sanada needs to lighten up.  
**A/N:** Yay, Rikkai Dai! Now, I haven't reached them in the anime yet, so tell me if they're good.

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Kirihara Akaya was bored. Now, a bored Kirihara was a dangerous one. The _Incident_ shall not be mentioned for fear of destroying what was left of Sanada's sanity.

Anyways, Kirihara was bored and as he always did when he was bored, he whined and complained. He would've bothered Yukimura-buchou but he was at the hospital again for another checkup. So Kirihara was left to bother the rest of the tennis team. Yanagi-senpai had disappeared off somewhere and so had Jackal-senpai and Marui-senpai.

On the other side of the tennis courts, Niou spotted Kirihara wandering aimlessly and smirked. What better way to cause havoc then to set the little devil off on a quest? It's not like there was anything better to do with practice canceled. Niou swaggered over to the junior.

Kirihara spotted him coming and began to whine. "Niou-senpai! I'm bored!" He threw himself at Niou and tugged on his ponytail. "Entertain me!"

"Listen up, I saw Sanada sitting inside the clubhouse," Niou whispered conspiratorially. "He looked unhappy. Why don't you go poke him? That would make him feel better."

Poking Sanada was one of Kirihara's favorite pastimes. He couldn't believe he had forgotten! He ran off, leaving Niou chuckling.

Inside the clubhouse, Sanada was just sitting on one of the benches. Actually…It looked like he was sleeping. Thus, did Kirihara sneak up on him, and, noticing a lack of reaction, poked him hard in the shoulder. A grunt sounded out. Sanada slowly blinked awake.

Another poke, harder this time. Sanada shook his head and looked over at the poker. Kirihara poked him between the eyes.

"Stop that," Sanada said. The fourth poke was in his back. "I'll tell Yukimura." Fifth poke in the cheek. "I'll hand you over to Seigaku." The poking stopped and Kirihara backed off. That threat always worked. Kirihara once had the privilege of trying one of those Inui drinks Renji brought to practice one day. Not to mention that Fuji guy still probably hated him.

Then the pokes were back. Seems his bluff had finally been called. Sanada merely sighed and let Kirihara continue poking him. Hopefully Yukimura would be back tomorrow.


	6. Want a Ponta?: Crack

**Title: **Want a Ponta?  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Momo, Fuji, Tezuka, Eiji - None  
**Word Count: **295  
**Warning(s): **Pure Internet Crack (PIC)  
**Summary: **Ryoma's thirsty. The bikini girls—boys—show up.  
**A/N:** I blame this on those Fanta commercials. Haven't seen them in forever, guessing on the bikini colors and however the song goes. 99 Luftballoons!

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Nanjiroh had once again beaten his son in a game of tennis. Ryoma was left outside to recover as his father disappeared inside. Ryoma lay panting on the court, trying to recover from the intense match.

"So thirsty," he said to the sky, willing himself to get up and grab a drink, but failing. Then his mind died as four people popped up in a square around him. Normally Ryoma wouldn't mind seeing these people. Well, other than the fact that they popped up out of nowhere. But it wasn't their appearance that made his brain shatter; no, it was their choice of clothing. Then the music started.

First up was Momo. "Wanta Ponta?" he started singing, prancing about in his purple bikini. "Doncha wanta, wanta Ponta?"

Next up was Fuji in his garish green bikini. He joined Momo in dancing around Ryoma, adding his voice to the song. "Wanta Ponta? Doncha wanta, wanta Ponta?"

Third was Tezuka in a red bikini. No singing or dancing for him, he merely stepped forward and waved a can of Ponta in Ryoma's face and asked, "Want a Ponta?"

Lastly was Eiji in an orange bikini. He glomped his Ochibi before joining Momo and Fuji in doing the can-can. They all continued to dance and sing with Tezuka leading them and making sure they were on cue. "Wanta Ponta? Doncha wanta, wanta Ponta?"

After about the third repetition, Ryoma just couldn't handle it anymore. His eyes rolled back and he fainted. The dancing and singing stopped. Without a word, the group of four carried Ryoma inside, past a bewildered Nanjiroh, and up to Ryoma's bedroom. Then they disappeared in puffs of colored smoke.

The next day at practice, Ryoma couldn't look any of the four in the eyes.


	7. My Beloved Monster: TezuFuji

**Title: **My Beloved Monster  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Tezuka, Fuji - Tezuka/Fuji  
**Word Count: **441  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai, OOC  
**Summary: **Fuji was wild and uncontrollable. Only Tezuka was able to tame him.  
**A/N:** Blame the song "My Beloved Monster" by Eels. Made my writing funny. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused by only referring to Tezuka as "he." Don't mix the two hes up. Yes, Fuji's a bit OOC.

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The first time he saw Fuji play seriously, he was amazed. The second time only astonished him further. Behind the smiling visage, there was a monster, just waiting to be released. A vicious monster that would not stand for an attack on itself or one it watched over. It was a scary thought, to know what lay behind the smile.

He didn't know why he was attracted to the sadistic creature, only that he was and he was insanely curious. Yet he hid it well, behind strict orders and an unemotional face. He watched Fuji, watched him destroy his opponents.

One day, he realized he wanted to glimpse the person inside once more. He knew curiosity killed the cat, but he wished to see, to learn, what was being hidden from the world. He talked to Fuji after tennis practice had ended and managed to invite himself over. Fuji's parents were out of town and his siblings were away for the evening.

Dinner was a quiet affair, neither talking much. After, they adjourned to the living room where he got straight to the point.

"Why do you hide yourself behind a mask?" he asked, hoping the question wouldn't bring around disastrous consequences.

"Because," Fuji replied in a quiet voice. "Everyone can see the monster I house inside. Do you really wish for it to be released?" He stood and tried to show him out, trying to end the questioning. But he would not budge.

"I want to see," he said. "I want to know who you truly are." He too stood up.

Fuji's eyes flashed open for a brief second before closing once more. "No, you do not."

"Yes, I do," he said, walking over to where Fuji stood.

The blue eyes flickered open again and stayed open. "How many times do I have to tell you?" he hissed. "No. You. Do. Not." Fuji glared at the taller human before pulling open the door. "Out," he commanded.

"No."

Fuji growled and tried to push him out the door. He was easily over-powered and pushed back down onto the couch. "Let me go," Fuji snarled, trying to break away.

"No, you're finally revealing yourself." The struggle continued; building in intensity until Fuji almost broke free. Seeing as his captive was about to escape, he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against the other's. The thrashing stopped; he pulled away.

Fuji laid still, eyes still open in shock, heart thumping quickly. He stared up at the ceiling before breaking into a true smile. He threw his arms around his savior. "Thank you," he whispered, eyes shining.

Tezuka had quieted the monster inside.


	8. Rikkai Family: Gen

**Title: **Rikkai Family  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Rikkai Dai Regulars - Sanada/fem!Yukimura, Yagyuu/Niou  
**Word Count: **554  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai, "het"  
**Summary: **What's a normal day in the Rikkai family like? Let's find out!  
**A/N:** Well, nobody had any problems with my first Rikkai story. I blame this on those TeniPuri chibi episodes. Maybe I'll do another school someday too or continue this…Took me a while to decide the family positions though…

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A normal day in the Rikkai household wasn't really all that normal. Little explosions would usually be going off all around the house. But for right now, everything was calm. Seiichi wandered about the house, trying to find her son, but to no avail.

"Akaya! Akaya, where are you?" she called. The pitter-patter of two little feet alerted her to the seven-year-old running in her direction.

"Here I am, Mommy!" Akaya piped up, coming to a stop a few feet away. His innocent smile was firmly in place, not betraying a hint of the mischief he was just getting up to. (If you looked into his sister's room, you would see marker drawings over everything, including the recently painted walls.)

Seiichi smiled down at Akaya. "Akaya, do you know where Daddy and Bun-chan are?" She pulled him gently into the kitchen and handed him a cookie.

"Dun know," he replied, munching furiously on his cookie and begging for more. Suddenly, he was picked up and thrown over a shoulder then carted out of the room to the backyard. Seiichi followed after as Akaya squirmed, trying to see who was holding him.

"Unca Niou!" he cried, finally seeing the culprit. Akaya tugged on Niou's ponytail while waving hello to Uncle Yagyuu. Uncle Yagyuu always brought Uncle Niou over; Mommy said they were "special friends."

Out in the backyard, the four stumbled upon Bunta watching her father, Genichirou, Yanagi-san, the next door neighbor, and Jackal-san, the live-in baby sitter (the kids really were a handful sometimes), loading a black powder into a rocket.

"Now this is what happens when you put too much gunpowder into a rocket," Yanagi said before pushing everyone behind a barrier. The resulting explosion could be heard for miles.

Everyone was coughing as the smoke finally cleared away. "Yanagi-san," Seiichi said. "Please don't deliberately set off large explosions in our yard." Yanagi gulped at the look being sent his way and nodded. That taken care of, Seiichi turned to her original task. "Genichirou, would you please run out to the store and get some milk?" He was gone before she could finish the sentence.

"Mommy, Mommy!" Bunta smiled as she ran up to her mother with a lollipop in her mouth. "I got to launch a rocket!" the eight-year-old chirped.

"You did?" Seiichi looked at Yanagi again. He set to collecting all his rocketry and ran back to his house across the street.

"Uh huh! And Jackal-san gave me some candy!" Bunta showed off the cache of candy in her pocket.

"Did you say thank you?" Seiichi asked, leading her back inside for lunch.

"Yep! And he said if I got an A on my test, we can go to the park tomorrow!" Bunta skipped merrily ahead of her mother. "Akaya gets to come too but only if he's good and doesn't get into another fight."

Jackal followed the two into the house. "Hopefully that'll be enough to convince him not to provoke anyone. I don't understand why he does it."

The two adults watched Akaya wrestle outside with Niou. Yagyuu stood off to the side, doing a running commentary on the match. Akaya was announced the winner when a shriek echoed from Bunta's room. It seems she found Akaya's artistic talent.


	9. 99 Luftballons: Gen

**Title: **99 Luftballons  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Hyotei Regulars - None  
**Word Count: **450  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Hyotei was boring. Jirou decided it would be fun to spruce up the clubhouse.  
**A/N:** I love this song (German version.) Used the English version. Excuse to finally write Hyotei. Don't think I got Atobe though…This is Tezuka's revenge.

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"Ore-sama demands to know who trashed our clubhouse!"

The voice echoed across the tennis courts. The players scrammed. You did not mess with an angry Atobe. Only the Regulars stayed behind. One, because they didn't fear Atobe, and two, because they wanted to see what Atobe did.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Atobe asked. "Who trashed the clubhouse?!"

Jirou was awoken by the final shout. He yawned from his position on Kabaji's shoulder before jumping down. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Atobe-buchou said someone messed up our clubhouse," Choutarou told him.

Jirou tilted his head to the side. "There wasn't a mess when I was in there earlier." He walked past Atobe's imposing figure to throw open the door. A red balloon rolled out and over to Gakuto's feet.

Gakuto picked up the innocent balloon. "Hey, Yuushi, why is there a balloon in our clubhouse?" Oshitari shrugged. He refocused back on Atobe's and Jirou's conversation.

"What do you mean you put them there?" Atobe questioned. "Those…Things do not belong there."

"But the place was so boring…It needed to be more fun!" Jirou then threw himself inside the clubhouse and into the sea of red balloons. The door swung shut behind him.

Shishido and Hiyoshi (the two most normal teenagers on the team) glanced at the door before turning away, dismissing the balloons as childish. Gakuto, however, opened the door and joined Jirou in swimming through the balloons and dragged Oshitari along for the ride. Choutarou abandoned his senpai in favor of doing something fun for once. The door closed on laughter. Atobe stood outside, trying to figure what was wrong with his team before ordering Kabaji to go in there and bring them back out.

The first half was obeyed, but when Kabaji didn't return, the three remaining Regulars knew something was up.

Shishido stepped up to the door. "Choutarou probably needs my help," was his excuse for escaping inside. Hiyoshi didn't even bother and just left Atobe to gape at his disappearing team. Those red abominations did not belong here among the high-class tastes of one such as him. Yet here he stood, after watching his entire team leave to play with said red abominations. Enough was enough; they should listen to their captain. Atobe threw open the door.

"_99 red balloons_

_Floating in the summer sky."_

Everyone was dancing and singing. A few would occasionally toss some balloons up so they would fall back on their heads. Jirou dragged Atobe in.

"That's it. I'm telling Tezuka not to bring any more music back from Germany," Atobe said. The Hyotei Regulars then partied the night away singing and dancing and playing in the sea of ninety-nine red balloons.


	10. The Pink Kitsune: Gen

**Title: **The Pink Kitsune  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Fuji, Eiji - None  
**Word Count: **211  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Fuji enjoys sneaking around and causing chaos.  
**A/N:** Blame this one on **xPhoenix.Returnx **who needs an easier name. Double digit time. Think the Pink Panther theme.

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**_Fuji peeked around the corner before darting back behind it. His prey was in sight. He slowly crept up on it, a mischievous grin on his face. "Hello, Eiji." 

"Hiya, Fuji!" Eiji greeted back. "You buying ice cream too?" He was fourth in line for the ice cream truck.

"Nah, not really hungry. I was just wondering why it was so quiet around here."

"Fuji," Eiji tried to reason with him. "Don't go making trouble. Can't you just let everything stay peaceful?"

"Where's the fun in that?" Fuji replied before slipping away.

Eiji just tried to ignore the fact he had seen Fuji and concentrate on the happiness that comes with sweets. It was all too quickly shattered by a shriek.

"It's an alien! Run!" And the little kids scattered, money and ice cream dropped to the ground.

"Fuji!" Eiji whined.

"Yes?" he said, popping up next to the red-head.

"Quit scaring people."

"But it's fun. And besides, did you see how fast they ran? It's fine; just avoid the roller-rink for a few days. I may or may not have done something there as well."

It was then Eiji wondered why Fuji ended up his best friend. There was never a dull day with Fuji around to mess things up.


	11. Mr Blue Sky: Gen

**Title: **Mr. Blue Sky  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Fudomine Regulars - None  
**Word Count: **262  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **A break from tennis to enjoy summer and actually act like kids.  
**A/N:** I wave farewell to my summer; I think it was the best one I had! And I'm just making stuff up about Fudo; their personalities and the school system. I don't want to go back to school tomorrow…

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"No clouds, a perfect day for doing nothing." Tachibana sighed. His team had taken over the park to try and hold on to summer a little longer. Come Monday, school would start once more with the promise of tennis practice everyday. It was fun, but a break was needed every once in a while.

"Shinji!" Kamio shouted. "Quit talking to yourself and throw the Frisbee!" It flew, but not towards Kamio. Instead, the wind decided to take it to pay a visit to Ishida's head and hit it forward into his ice cream.

Ishida wiped the ice cream off his nose and turned around to glare at the Frisbee-playing duo. "That's the third time you've hit me. You're not getting it back!" Sakurai, who was eating ice cream with him, picked the flying disk and tossed it as far as he could where it happily landed atop the fish statue in the fountain. They both laughed at the two as they tried to figure out how to retrieve the toy.

Uchimura and Mori were trying to keep cool in the fountain, splashing the water all about. Uchimura tilted his cap back to look at the statue. "Hey, do you think we should get the frisbee down for them?"

"No way! This way we can soak them when they try to get it!" Mori grinned. "Defend our territory!"

Tachibana relaxed on the grass, the sounds of his team drifting about. A water fight broke out with demands of surrender being shouted. He slowly drifted to sleep. No worries at all…At least for today.


	12. Accidentally in Love: RyoSaku

**Title: **Accidentally in Love  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Sakuno – Ryoma/Sakuno  
**Word Count: **241  
**Warning(s): **het  
**Summary: **Sakuno finally worked up the courage to ask Ryoma out on a date…But now what should she do?  
**A/N:** In case you haven't noticed, I like almost all pairings. And I will get to the two requested, eventually! Little warning, this thing is fluffy beyond all belief.

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Sakuno nervously glanced at the boy next to her before blushing and trying to re-focus on the movie. She was finally on a date with Ryoma…But she had no idea what to do! Did they just sit there and watch the movie or was she supposed to do something or was Ryoma supposed do to something or…She fiddled with her hands. Should she try and grab Ryoma's hand?

Another glance at him showed Sakuno that the boy was immersed in the show. She slumped into her seat. She should've never asked Ryoma out. She slurped down her soda dejectedly, attempting to at least enjoy the movie.

"Here," Ryoma whispered, giving Sakuno his drink. She hadn't even noticed she had reached the bottom.

Sakuno blushed and took the drink. "Thank you, Ryoma-kun." He shrugged and turned back to the screen. She was so embarrassed, forcing Ryoma to give her his drink. Wait…That meant he was paying attention to her as she hadn't even noticed the pop was gone which meant…Maybe the date wasn't as bad a failure as she thought!

Happily sipping away at Ryoma's soda, Sakuno finished watching the movie. It ended and the two exited the theatre. Immersed in cheerful thoughts, it took her a little while to notice the extra appendage on her hand that looked suspiciously like another hand.

When Ryoma looked over at her, Sakuno smiled back. They kept walking down the street to the bus stop.


	13. Kokomo: Gen

**Title: **Kokomo  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Atobe, Kabaji, Oshitari, Shishido - None  
**Word Count: **331  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Atobe takes a few friends on an island getaway.  
**A/N:** I have got to get away from my MP3 player. This is the fifth one in a row based off a song. Now, what do you think about a Rikkai Family sequel?

_**

* * *

**_

The four of them were in a shady corner of the island with sand and palm trees all around. Atobe was lying out on a towel in the sand while Shishido was relaxing in a hammock. Oshitari was sitting in a lawn chair and drinking his smoothie with Kabaji sitting next to him sipping his own smoothie. Faint island music could be heard playing in the background but it was mostly drowned out by talking.

"Wait, start over," Shishido demanded. "This is your island, all the way over in the Americas. And it's named after a Beach Boys song?"

"No!" shouted Atobe, frustrated. "It has nothing to do with the Beach Boys! It just so happens to be a coincidence."

"But—"

"Give it up," Oshitari interrupted. "He's not going to admit it, none of the Atobes will. It's their strange family secret." He took a long sip of his drink. "Now remind me again why we're here because Gakuto's going to be mad when I get back that he didn't get to come."

Atobe rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine. And I thought we needed a vacation. But if you don't appreciate Ore-sama's generosity, then I can send you right on back to Japan."

"What he meant to say was…Well, I don't know." Shishido rocked back and forth. "But I could get used to doing nothing here." They sat in silence for a bit, an island breeze blowing over them.

Kabaji nodded and yawned before pulling out another towel and lying down. "I'm going to take a nap."

"I think somebody beat you to it," Oshitari smirked, pointing over at Shishido who had fallen asleep.

"Atobe-sama, too."

"Maybe I'll join you all in slumber land." Oshitari snatched the other hammock hooked up the trees and put away his glasses before falling asleep.

The friends and teammates snoozed away, oblivious to the world and their surroundings. They were taking it nice and slow on this little island separated from the world.


	14. Idiot: ShishiTori

**Title: **Idiot  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Shishido, Choutarou – Shishido/Choutarou  
**Word Count: **222  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai, fluff  
**Summary: **In which Choutarou smiles a lot and Shishido tells him to stop. Theme 13: stupid smile.  
**A/N:** Participating in _15pairings_ LJ challenge. Due to lack of characterized females, the next 15 stories from here will be mostly shonen-ai. If it bothers you, please don't read it. Will try to balance it out with cracky fun.

_**

* * *

**_

"Stop that," Shishido complained, punching Choutarou in the arm. The two were headed home from tennis practice and it was grating on his nerves.

Confused, Choutarou asked, "Stop what, Shishido-san?" If anything, it grew a little bigger.

"That. That smile."

His smile widened a little bit more. "But, it's such a great day, what's wrong with smiling?"

Shishido rolled his eyes. "Because you do it all the damn time and its startin' to annoy me."

"Oh, ok then." Choutarou's grin disappeared and instead became a frown almost identical to the one on Shishido's face.

After walking a few more meters, Shishido snapped, "I give up. Go back to smiling."

"But I thought you didn't want me to smile?" Choutarou replied, grin slowly coming back.

"Well that was before you started frowning," he grumbled. "Can't you be not-annoying?"

"Nope!" Choutarou chirped, smile back into full swing. Then he started to lecture. "You know, it was really hard to keep frowning. I think you need to smile more, Shishido-san. After all—"

A kiss silenced him Choutarou stopped walking, a surprised look on his face.

"There we go," Shishido said. "No more stupidly smiling face and no frowning." He kept on walking down the sidewalk.

And of course, another grin appeared on Choutarou's face. He ran down the street yelling, "Hey, Shishido-san, wait up!"


	15. Stay Out: YuuMi

**Title: **Stay Out  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Yuuta, Mizuki, Fuji, Yumiko – Yuuta/Mizuki  
**Word Count: **636  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Yuuta brought home Mizuki and the other Fuji siblings have fun. Theme 15: breakup.  
**A/N:** You know, I just randomly slap K and K+ ratings on everything. I have no clue how to rate stuff…Almost boosted this for implication though.

_**

* * *

**_

Yuuta sighed, once more regretting (being tortured into) telling Yumiko about Mizuki. Because of course, if Yumiko knew, then Syusuke would soon find out. And once he found out, then everything would go downhill. Which is exactly what happened.

"Now Yuuta, I want you to tell me one more time what this insect is doing here," Syusuke said with a strained smile on his face. Mizuki glared and pointedly ignored Syusuke's existence.

Another sigh. "For the _third time_," Yuuta stressed, "I brought Mizuki-san home because he wanted to meet mom and dad." He added under his breath, "If I had known they weren't here, I would've stayed at school." Annoyance at his brother's and his boyfriend's attitude was obvious on Yuuta's face.

"Right, right," Syusuke said. "Then why don't we all go down to the kitchen and eat some dinner?" He pushed Yuuta downstairs. "I'll join you in a minute." Syusuke disappeared into his room.

Yuuta couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom.

"Yuuta-kun, why don't you show me around now that your aggravating pest of a brother is gone," Mizuki suggested.

Yuuta shook his head. "Sorry, Mizuki-san, but as long as Aniki and you are in the same building…Let's just go eat and then we can hide in my room." He led the way down to the kitchen where Yumiko was humming to herself and cooking.

"Oh, Yuuta, could you set the table for me, please?" Yumiko asked, turning to the two. "And Mizuki, could you stir this pot for me?"

Complying, because no one, not even Syusuke, disobeyed Yumiko, Yuuta left Mizuki to the clutches of his sister.

"Hello, Yumiko-san," Mizuki greeted cordially, having no quarrel with the elder Fuji sibling. "Thank you for letting me stay the night."

"Well," she conspired, "I just had to find out who little Yuuta was dating." She pulled a bottle out of the fridge. "And as the oldest, it's my duty to make sure nobody harms my little brothers." Yumiko smirked, "So tonight is your trial run, Mizuki. Play nice." She then skipped out of the kitchen with the food, Mizuki trailing behind with a sinking feeling that tonight would not turn out as planned.

Over dinner, not much happened other than Mizuki choking on some wasabi-flavored chicken (which all Fujis seemed to be immune to.) Syusuke didn't try or say anything which made Yuuta very, very paranoid when he and Mizuki disappeared up to his room.

With the door closed and locked, Yuuta finally relaxed. Mizuki was sitting on his bed, nervously twirling his hair. Something wasn't right. That something turned out to be Syusuke hiding under the bed.

"Aniki! Wh-what're you doing under there!" Yuuta stuttered, trying to back away but running into the door.

Syusuke climbed out from underneath the bed. "Just waiting for you and…Sorry, I've completely forgotten your name."

"It's Mizuki," he gritted out.

"Anyways," Syusuke went on, ignoring Mizuki, "I wanted to make sure you understood what a mistake this was and why you should breakup with the colorful bug."

He started to rattle off reasons as Mizuki grew angry and Yuuta sighed once more.

The next morning, Mizuki held a strained smirk as he said goodbye to Yumiko.

"Well," she said. "Since you seem to have made it through the night and are still in one piece, I suppose I can allow you to date Yuuta. Of course, you still have to deal with Syusuke." She waved farewell as Mizuki and Yuuta headed back to St. Rudolph.

"See now, Yuuta-kun," Mizuki said, "I can handle your brother perfectly fine."

"I suppose, but Aniki really didn't have to list off all those reasons last night," Yuuta murmured.

"I don't know," Mizuki smirked. "I think I liked number 73, 'having to kiss me.' Maybe we should try that one out more often."


	16. Sunset Stars: TezuFuji

**Title: **Sunset Stars  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Fuji, Tezuka – Tezuka/Fuji  
**Word Count: **158  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai, fluff  
**Summary: **A simple hike, then time to watch the sunset and see the stars come out. Theme 8: silence.  
**A/N:** For **Tora**. All I could remember was that you wanted a romantic sunset. Hope it's not too bad…I think these are all getting shorter, too…

_**

* * *

**_

The two men hiked in silence, slowly carrying camping equipment up the mountain. Neither wished to break the hum of nature. The taller man led the way though by now the shorter man knew the trail by heart. The sun began to dip below the horizon as they emerged into a clearing.

Remaining silent, the two set up their camp and started a small fire. They settled in and mutely agreed to watch the sun as it fell ever lower.

Fuji lifted his camera, wanting to catch the magical sight. Putting a hand out to stop him, Tezuka gave a little shake of his head. The camera was lowered and a smile bloomed.

They leaned in to kiss as the sun left for another land and gave way to the stars appearing among the heavens. They broke apart and lied down to admire the pin-points of light, content with the silence of nature and just being there together.


	17. Wintertime: AtoJi

**Title: **Wintertime  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Atobe, Jirou – Atobe/Jirou  
**Word Count: **450  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai, fluff  
**Summary: **Jirou drags Atobe to see decorations and it starts to snow. Theme 12: cold.  
**A/N:** I seriously fangirl over this pairing. Jirou's just so cute and huggable! Fluffy beyond all belief. Also, please stop me from writing more Beach Boys stories, I've been listening to way too much music.

_**

* * *

**_Atobe and Jirou were wandering the streets of Tokyo, no exact place in mind. Actually, it was more like Jirou was dragging Atobe across the city to see all the Christmas decorations and lights. 

"Hey, hey, Atobe!" Jirou chirped, pointing across the street. "Let's go look at that!" He pulled Atobe across the crosswalk over to yet another store. "It's so pretty. Oh, over there!"

Atobe smiled and let himself be hauled across the city. Really, sometimes Jirou was just like a little kid, interested in everything and everything. It was quite endearing and he just looked so _delighted_ by the simplest things.

"Snow, snow!" Jirou suddenly shouted. "Look, Atobe, snow!" Breaking out of his musings, Atobe looked up just in time to catch a snowflake in the face. "It's finally snowing. Hey, do you think we could have a snowball fight?"

Atobe hated to break it to him but, "Jirou, it just started to snow. Do you really think there would be enough to even make a snowball?"

"Maybe," he pouted. "Fine then, I'll just get you tomorrow." Jirou's smile came back as he pulled Atobe down the street. "Now that it's snowing, it's the perfect time to get hot chocolate!"

They stepped into a coffee shop and ordered the drinks. Surprisingly, they sat in silence, Jirou too absorbed with slurping down his drink to talk. The snow continued to fall outside, becoming thicker and thicker.

"I'm not sure I want to go back out in that," Jirou murmured. Atobe agreed. It was much better to admire the snow from some place warm. But they had to venture back out if they wanted to get home.

The snow soaked them as they stepped out of the little café. Jirou shivered. "Brrr, it's so cold."

"Well then let's get home." They walked quickly and took shelter back at Atobe's mansion.

"That was fun," Jirou yawned, all that running around catching up with him. "Do you think there's enough snow outside now, Atobe?"

"Probably," Atobe said as he led the way to his bedroom. "But it's much warmer inside, don't you think? Just wait until tomorrow."

"Hmm," Jirou agreed, eyes drooping closed. He collapsed onto Atobe's bed and snuggled up under the covers. "'Mind me to throw a snowball a' you t'morrow, 'kay?"

"Of course." Atobe climbed into bed as well, moving close to Jiroh to share heat. He played with Jirou's hair and admired the sleeping teen before slowly succumbing to sleep as well.

The snow kept on falling, piling up for all the kids across the city tomorrow morning. But for tonight, it was a time to relish the warmth of those who loved you. The snow could wait.


	18. Do the Math: OishiEiji

**Title: **Do the Math  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oishi, Eiji – Oishi/Eiji  
**Word Count: **242  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Oishi tries to help Eiji with math but Eiji doesn't want to. Theme 2: triangle.  
**A/N:** I hate math, I really do. And yet here's one based around math. Grr. Oh well. I'm just avoiding homework.

_**

* * *

**_"So if this side's three and that side's four then that makes the third side…" Oishi trailed off, pointing to the respective sides of the triangle on the paper. He was trying to help Eiji solve right triangles. Unfortunately… 

Eiji just messed up his hair in aggravation. "I don't know! This makes no sense!"

"It doesn't have to make sense," Oishi said gently. "In fact, I think they made sure it didn't make sense." Eiji smiled a bit at that. "Now come on. If you just work it out, then you can solve the problem."

"But I don't wanna," Eiji complained. "I don't like math." He hugged Oishi. "I just wanna be with my Oishi!" He snuggled, trying to soften Oishi up and let him stop.

"Eiji," Oishi sighed, pushing him off. "Exams are coming up. You do want to get into high school with me, right?" A sniff. "Then you have to study. We can take a break after this problem, ok?"

Eiji flopped down onto the floor. "Will you buy me ice cream?"

"Yes, I'll buy you ice cream."

Sitting back up with a smile, Eiji agreed, "Ok then, I guess we can do one last problem. But that's it! Then we have some fun!"

Oishi ruffled the Eiji's hair and kissed him on the cheek before turning back to the math book. "See, you just use this formula up here. You make _a_ three and _b_ four and solve…"


	19. Falling: TezuRyo

**Title: **Falling  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Tezuka – Tezuka/Ryoma  
**Word Count: **602  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **A trip to the park can be dangerous if you don't have a guardian angel to watch over you.  
**A/N:** Clichéd beyond all belief, but I couldn't help it. Blame for this story goes to some picture I saw. Here's to hoping you like it. And I added the OMAKE because I loved that last line but it didn't fit in with the story too well.

_**

* * *

**_

The cool November air whipped Ryoma's cap off his head and down into the colorful treetops farther down the mountain. Ryoma glared after the hat as Tezuka laughed. Ryoma shoved him away and pouted.

"I told you not to wear if today," Tezuka reminded, running his hand through Ryoma's now free hair.

His hand was batter away. "How was I supposed to know we'd be hiking today?"

"I told you yesterday."

"We were playing tennis yesterday." Apparently that was supposed to excuse Ryoma's lack of attention. Tezuka shook his head and stood up to go.

"Come on." Tezuka brushed himself off and held a hand down to Ryoma. "Let's go find your hat."

Ryoma smirked and grabbed the hand, yanking Tezuka back to the ground before standing up himself. "I thought we were going to get my hat, Buchou?" Ryoma disappeared into the path down the mountain.

Tezuka slowly got up again, fixing his glasses before following after and planning revenge. He slowly walked, knowing Ryoma was waiting by the cliff and looking over it. He always seemed to have a love for dangerous heights.

A startled yell and rumbling of earth shattered his thoughts and sent Tezuka running down the path to the cliff edge. "Ryoma?" he called frantically, noticing a distinct lack of black hair. He peered over the edge, hoping Ryoma wasn't…

"Hi, Buchou," Ryoma greeted, ignoring his situation. He was hanging into a tree jutting out from the cliff. There also happened to be a hundred meter drop below him.

Tezuka processed all this and Ryoma's non-existent worry. He quickly reached a hand down before realizing Ryoma and the tree were just beyond his reach.

There was another rumbling and the earth beneath Tezuka gave way, letting him fall down the cliff. He started to slide downwards but a yank on his left arm stopped him. His arm grabbing hold of the poor, little tree caused it to tremble and slip from Ryoma's hands.

Today was just not his day, Tezuka would realize later as he barely managed to grab hold of the shorter tennis player. The two hung there for a little while in silence, Tezuka desperately trying to figure a way back to the top and safety. He glanced below and quickly looked back up; the height seemed much greater than before.

Ryoma was the first one to break the quiet. "Do you trust me?" Tezuka met his eyes, not focusing on the ground below, wondering why he was asking a question he already knew the answer to. Resigned golden eyes stared back.

"If you trust me, then let go." Tezuka tightened his grip on Ryoma's hand. Ryoma was not going to sacrifice himself just for the chance of Tezuka making it.

When Ryoma laughed, Tezuka knew he'd gotten it wrong. "Not me. I'd kill you if you let go of me. The branch." Tezuka looked incredulously at the boy who expected him to let go of their only life line. "Kunimitsu, let go in the branch." A white fog began to appear against Ryoma's back.

And they were falling…

_**

* * *

**_

**OMAKE**

Tezuka slowly opened his eyes, painful impact with the ground never coming. Arms hooked under his own were holding him up. He glanced behind to see Ryoma, face strained and apparently with white wings bursting out of his back to keep them in the air.

"You're a…"

Ryoma tried to smile. "Yeah. Somebody had to stop you from hurting yourself too much." The two began to drop towards the ground though Ryoma was frantically trying to keep them up.

"Buchou, you need to lose some weight."


	20. Staying in Bed: AtoRyo

**Title: **Staying in Bed  
**Rating: **T  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Atobe – Atobe/Ryoma  
**Word Count: **298  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Ryoma tries to keep Atobe from leaving. Theme 5: "I have to go."  
**A/N:** Look at that, I had to bump the rating up. (Innuendo really, nothing physical yet. I blame it on Atobe.) Today I bring another pairing, that of royalty! And in case you've missed it before, you don't have to read all the ficlets. I'm just trying to write a little something for everyone. (Which is why I take requests that I never get around to.)

_**

* * *

**_"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ryoma asked, feeling the bed rustle as the other occupant got out. 

Atobe turned back to look at him. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm getting dressed." He opened his closet and disappeared inside.

Ryoma sat up glared. "You said you didn't have anything to do today. That's why I took today off from training. That's why I'm here and not back in the States. So why the hell would you be getting dressed?"

"Because I got a call and I have somewhere I need to be," Atobe replied, walking out of the closet dressed in suit. He sat on the edge of the bed, but Ryoma flopped down with his face in the pillow. "Look at me, Ryoma. I _am_ sorry and I will make it up to you. Just be patient. But as long as Father's in charge, I don't have any say in the matter."

"Whatever. Just go away." Ryoma buried himself into the sheets, ignoring Atobe. Not able to leave it there, Atobe flipped him over and kissed him. That's what Ryoma had been waiting for.

He pulled Atobe onto the bed and rolled so Ryoma sat on top before deepening the kiss, tongues battling roughly against each other. He tried to pull the suit jacket off only to be stopped by a hand on his own.

"Ryoma," Atobe sighed, pulling away from the kiss and tossing the younger man off. "I have to go. Besides," he added with a smirk, "we don't need your moans echoing through the house, now do we?"

Ryoma frowned but let Atobe get up. "I'm not _that_ loud."

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Of course not. Tonight then, brat," he promised, "We'll see how loud you can really get."


	21. Storytime: OshiAto

**Title: **Storytime  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oshitari, Atobe – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **326  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Oshitari tells a story. Atobe is not amused.  
**A/N:** For the OshiAto LJ comm meganebucks first weekly challenge: refrigerators.

_**

* * *

**_

_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Keiko. She was perfect in every way. Her only flaw was that she was too beautiful and nobody felt they were worthy enough to wed her._

_But one day when she was doing princessy things in her room, Prince Yuushi came to call on the castle. He was the most devilishly handsome man in all the land and believed he could help with Princess—_

"What. Are. You. Doing." Atobe demanded. Sometime during the story he had entered the kitchen and wound up standing behind Oshitari.

Oshitari, of course, just looked up and smirked charmingly at him from his place on the floor. "Why, I'm just telling my dear friend here a story. It's good, don't you think?"

Atobe crossed his arms and glared downward. "Your 'friend?' There's nobody here."

"Don't say that!" Oshitari put on his best shocked face and wrapped his arms around the fridge. "You'll hurt his feelings! Just because you don't talk to him doesn't mean he can't hear you."

Atobe stared. Must've been something in that cake he was eating earlier. "Yuushi. Refrigerators are not capable of thinking."

Tears began to well at the corners of Oshitari's eyes. "Why would you say that to him? What did he ever do to you?!" He fled the kitchen, leaving the fridge to fend for itself.

Throwing up his arms in exasperation, Atobe followed after him and into their bedroom where Oshitari was curled up on the bed. "Yuushi, get up." A sniffle answered him. Atobe just rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'm sorry that I insulted your dear friend, our fridge."

"Really?" Oshitari turned around, no hint or tears ever being on his face. "Then you can help me finish telling the story to him!" He dragged Atobe back to the kitchen and plopped him down on the floor.

_So Prince Yuushi and Princess Keiko—_

"I am _not_ a princess!"

"Shush! You're ruining the story!"


	22. Pet Store: OshiAto

**Title: **Pet Store  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oshitari, Atobe – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **222  
**Warning(s): **shonen-ai  
**Summary: **Five-year-old Oshitari likes turtles. Atobe doesn't.  
**A/N:** For meganebucks 2nd weekly prompt: turtles! I told myself I would do every one to keep me writing, so expect a load more of OshiAto. You guys can stop reading when you get sick of it. Dedicated to my turtles. Please stop with the biting.

_**

* * *

**_

"Come on, Kei-chan!" Oshitari whined as he tugged on Atobe's arm. "I wanna go look at the turtles!"

Atobe turned his nose up. "No. Turtles are icky."

"No they aren't. Come on, pretty please with cherries on top?" The puppy-eyes were out and in full force.

"No!" Atobe yelled. He marched off to the entrance of the pet store. "I'm waiting right here for Mommy to come pick me up!" Five-year-old Atobe stomped his foot to prove his point.

Oshitari toddled after him. "You're no fun. When we grow up, I'm going to get you a turtle!"

_**

* * *

**_

Oshitari shoved a box at Atobe. "Merry Christmas!"

"You're a month late." Then Atobe noticed the holes in the box. "Is there something _alive_ in this?"

Oshitari smirked. "You have to open it to find out."

Atobe handed the box back. "I'm not having something jump out at me again. You open it."

"Fine, fine." He took the box and pulled the top off. "See, nothing dangerous. Happy Birthday."

"Months too early," Atobe commented, more interested in learning what was in the box. "Is this…a turtle?"

Oshitari clapped. "I see you recognize this magnificent being. Don't you think he'd look cute sitting in a tank at the foot of our bed?" Oshitari leaned in to pet the turtle.

"You're so strange."

"Yet you love me."


	23. Rich Kids: Gen

**Title: **Rich Kids  
**Rating: **K+  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Atobe - None  
**Word Count: **163  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Ryoma's impatient, Atobe's busy, and neither of the two seem to get along well.  
**A/N:** Not dead. Had to climb back up the face of the earth, but I'm not dead. Just a bit of writer's block. Couple drabbles for now and I've got a D1 one-shot coming so just hang on and eventually I'll get back into writing.

* * *

"Monkey King, if you're not going to play a match with me, then I'll go and find someone who will."

With an almost growl, Atobe shoved his chair away from the desk and swiveled around to face Ryoma. "Listen closely, you little brat—"

Ryoma almost decked him right then and there. The only thing stopping him was that Ponta didn't buy itself and, with how much he drank, was pretty was damn expensive. Like someone, somewhere probably once said, 'What else are rich kids for?'

"—ok?" Atobe finished his little rant while Ryoma was zoned out. "So if you don't mind, I'd like to finish this paper before tomorrow morning. Then we can go play your goddamned game or whatever the hell it is you want." Eye slightly twitching, Atobe turned back to the desk.

Rolling his eyes, Ryoma let out a loud bored sigh and flopped onto Atobe's bed to wait. "Then we're gonna get cheeseburgers too. And not to-go."


	24. The King of the Monkeys: Gen

**Title: **The King of the Monkeys  
**Rating: **K  
**Characters/Pairings: **Ryoma, Kintarou, Atobe - None  
**Word Count: **241  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Kintarou meets the Monkey King.  
**A/N:** If you're wondering where this came from, I was trying to drabble AtoRyo. Kinda failed though…Also, much love for Kintarou; so much love.

* * *

"And this here is the Monkey King." Ryoma smirked as Kintarou's eyes widened.

"Wow, that's so cool! I didn't know monkey's had kings. Hey," the hyperactive blur ran around to Atobe's backside and began patting his ass. "Koshimae, Koshimae, he doesn't have a tail. How can a monkey not have a tail?"

Ryoma watched the horrified expression on Atobe's face. He wasn't worried; the kid was harmless.

By now, Kintarou was perched on Atobe's shoulders and patting down his head. "He doesn't have monkey ears, either. Just normal human ears." After messing up Atobe's perfect hair, he hopped down. "Koshimae, he doesn't have any bugs in his hair either." Atobe took this chance to escape to his shower and hair dresser. "The movies always show monkeys with bugs in their hair."

Face contorted to keep laughter from escaping; Ryoma explained that monkey kings look just like normal people so the monkeys would know who their king is.

"So where are his monkeys then?" Kintarou began running all around again. "Koshimae, I wanna go see some monkeys!"

Shishido scowled. He was hidden in the bushes not a few feet from Ryoma and Kintarou. _So that's why he got Fuji to blackmail us into dressing up in monkey suits._ He looked behind him at the rest of the Hyotei monkey tennis club.

Embarrassing Atobe won out in the battle against his dignity and he jumped out of the bushes to a screech. "Monkeys!"


	25. Intruder: Gen

**Title: **Intruder  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Karupin, ?? – Ryoma/??  
**Word Count: **100  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Karupin is NOT HAPPY.  
**A/N:** It's an actual drabble, a hundred words exactly! Explanation: I wanted to write from Karupin's perspective for once and I couldn't decide who to pair with Ryoma so I tried to leave it as open as possible.

* * *

"Move!" Karupin yowled at the bed. There was somebody in his normal spot next to Ryoma. This intruder had stolen his sleeping spot!

"Move it!" Karupin repeated ever louder. The body lifted its head, blinking at him sleepily. "That's my spot!"

"Shh," the other person whispered, glancing at the sleeping Ryoma. It moved over, making room in between for Karupin to lie.

Happy, Karupin jumped on the bed and settled down in the still-warm spot. He curled and purred into the hand that ran down his back. He didn't mind sharing as long as he got something out of it.


	26. Wiles: OshiAto

**Title: **Wiles  
**Rating: **PG  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oshitari, Atobe – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **167  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Atobe flails at Oshitari. He just smirks.  
**A/N:** For meganebucks 12th weekly challenge: cats. No, I don't know what happened to me doing every challenge.

* * *

A leg flailed, snaking out from under Atobe's bed covers to try to kick Oshitari.

"I said I was sorry." Oshitari rolled his eyes and sat on the flailing leg. "How was I supposed to know he was going to throw up?"

Atobe squirmed to try to get his leg free but gave up and started kicking with the other leg. "Because he's your little demon cat."

Oshitari flopped back so he was lying across both legs. "You never said anything against it when I brought him over."

"That's because it was staring at me!" Atobe shouted, finally throwing off the covers and sitting up. "It used its little kitten wiles to make me think it was harmless!" He glared at Oshitari. "Just like its owner."

Smirking, Oshitari leaned over and kissed Atobe. "But you like my wiles, silly Keigo."

Atobe flailed at him again, glancing at the doorway to make sure none of the staff has seen. "Go away and take your demon cat with you!"


	27. Dancing Flowers: OshiAto

**Title: **Dancing Flowers  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Atobe, Oshitari – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **314  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **After getting his wisdom teeth removed, Atobe has to deal with Oshitari's mocking.  
**A/N:** Because I actually did one for meganebucks 11th weekly challenge (anesthesia) but didn't type it up until today. I've written a lot for this pairing...

* * *

For some reason, dreams are never questioned no matter how unrealistic and bizarre they get. Which is why the sight of Oshitari dancing about with five color changing flowers didn't phase Atobe one bit. Instead, a large grin appeared on his face as he pranced over to join them.

Oshitari spotted him and began to run in slow motion. "Kei-goo!"

"Yuu-shii!" Atobe held his arms outstretched. When they crashed into each other, smiling hearts appeared floating all around their heads.

"Keigo," Oshitari smiled, "I'm going to stick my foot in your face if you don't wake up."

Atobe's grin fell. "What? Don't—"

A light pressure settled on his face before a horrid smell assaulted his senses. He sat up, slapping away the offending item on his face and trying to breathe fresh air.

"Have you been getting enough sleep?" Oshitari asked, full of concern as he wandered over to Atobe had thrown his sock. "You were out for five hours. The dentist said you'd be up in two."

Atobe glared at the sock. "I'm fine. Do you ever wash those things?"

"Of course I do." Oshitari sniffed the sock before pulling it back on his foot. "But unlike some people, I don't change them every couple of hours."

"Yes, well I enjoy not smelling like some filthy animal." A bit of drool started to trickle out of the corner of Atobe's mouth. Oshitari had to stifle at snicker behind his hand. "Bring me a mirror. I want to see what that dentist did to my mouth while I was knocked out."

After a mocking bow, Oshitari held up a small hand mirror. Atobe let out a small shriek and rubbed furiously at the drool before preening his hair and opening his mouth to look where his wisdom teeth used to be. When he saw the stitches, he was glad he had been anesthetized.

"You're still beautiful," Oshitari commented, peeking around the mirror. "And drooling again." Atobe shrieked and hoped his mouth regained feeling soon.


	28. Lost Memories: TezuRyo

**Title: **Lost Memories  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Taka, Tezuka, Atobe – Tezuka/Ryoma  
**Word Count: **706  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **As the only one who was still in Tokyo, Taka tended to get a lot of old friends dropping by.  
**A/N:** First, my theory. Ryoma was able to use the Pinnacle of Perfection because he still had amnesia or whatever and had forgotten the competitiveness of tennis and could just enjoy it. That's sort of the basis for this story. Second, I am on a roll tonight though my wrist is hurting like crazy.

* * *

Like every time the door opened, he looked up and shouted "Welcome!" and quickly looked back down to make sure he was chopping correctly. This time, though, he did a double take and stopped cutting. There were customers to serve, but they were less important than the man standing at the door.

"Kawamura." The man came to sit at the counter in front of him, face not revealing any emotion but eyes hidden behind frames showed the entire story if one knew where to look.

Taka nodded in understanding. "I'll close up in a bit. Let me take care of these last few." It was an hour before the last customer straggled out and the restaurant was shut down. Returning to the man, Taka plucked the third cup of alcohol from the man's grasp and set is aside, waiting for him to speak first.

"He's gone."

"What?" Taka asked, hoping it wasn't he thought. "Tezuka, what do you mean he's gone?"

Tezuka graded his cup and downed the rest of the drink. "He can't even remember his name anymore." He pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry for bothering you." Putting his glasses back up, Tezuka stood up and made to leave. "You were just the only one who's still in Tokyo and knows about it."

"Wait, Tezuka." Taka pushed him back down. "It's ok, you can stay here. You don't have to leave.

Tezuka nodded in thanks. "Even keeping him in Tokyo didn't work. A month ago he finally forgot the last bits of Japanese."

Taka would have told him that he didn't need to keep talking except that it seemed to be doing Tezuka some good. So he let him go on as he finished cleaning up for the night and used anything leftover to make a snack,

"Then yesterday morning, he couldn't answer to his name. And I thought that would be the one thing his pride wouldn't let him forget," Tezuka laughed, having been refilling his cup while talking and loosening a bit. "I took him back to the hospital this morning. Hopefully the nurses will know he still only eats Japanese breakfasts."

Pulling the tipsy Tezuka up, Taka led him upstairs to the extra room. "Come on, you need to sleep. Then tomorrow, we can both go visit Echizen."

Tezuka fell on to the futon and was out like a light. Taka crept back down to the restaurant to grab Tezuka's jacket when the jacket started to ring. Digging through the pockets, he came up with a cell phone. The caller ID said _Ryoma_. Confused, he pressed Talk. "Hello?"

"Tezuka?"

"No, this is Kawamura Takashi, a friend. Who is this?" the voice was most definitely not Echizen's.

"Atobe Keigo. Where's Tezuka?"

"He's asleep. Why do you have Echizen's phone?" Taka headed back towards the guest room in case the call was important.

"What is this, twenty questions? Tezuka ignores my calls so I borrowed Echizen's – not that he even knows who I am. I need to talk to Tezuka now." Atobe's voice sounded aggravated. Taka figured he shouldn't get a billionaire mad at him, but he wanted to bother Tezuka even less.

"He's had a long day. Unless it's urgent, I can take a message."

"I'm moving Echizen to a better hospital in the States."

"Okay, hold on. I'll wake up Tezuka." Taka nudged Tezuka, hoping it wouldn't take too long to wake him up. Eventually, he resorted to flicking water droplets which finally got him up. Taka handed him the cell phone. "It's Atobe, about Echizen."

Tezuka grabbed for the phone. "What are you doing with Ryoma?"

Taka didn't bother to listen to half of a confusing conversation. When Tezuka hung up and headed for the door, Taka pushed some sushi into his arms. "A treat. For Echizen."

Tezuka bowed stiffly. "Thank you." He gave another bow. "Thank you for having me."

Taka shook his head and shoved him out the door. "Go, help him get better. I'm not going anywhere." Tezuka took off running for a bus or taxi or maybe just running all the way to the hospital. Taka didn't know. He just hoped he and Echizen would come back and have sushi together again.


	29. A Little Note: OshiAto

**Title: **A Little Note  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Atobe, Oshitari – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **700  
**Warning(s): **none  
**Summary: **Oshitari must prove his love...Through song!  
**A/N:** More OshiAto nonsense that should be ignored. For meganebucks 1st monthly challenge: how to tell if he likes you.

* * *

A tap against the window pulled Atobe away from his book and back into the real world. Another tap soon followed it. He glanced over at the window just in time to see a third stone knock against it. He sighed and put his book down before walking over to the window and pulling it up. Leaning out the second floor window, he spied the culprit. "What are you doing?"

Down in the courtyard of the apartment complex stood Oshitari, handful of pebbles ready to be thrown. Seeing Atobe, he dropped them and started fiddling with a box. He pulled out a guitar and twanged a few strings, making sure they were perfectly tuned.

"Yuushi. If this is another ill-conceived attempt to—"

"_Can you feel the love tonight?_"Oshitari bellowed, having spent the past month learning the song in perfect English. He played chords on the guitar that he'd spent the month _before_ last learning. "_You needn't look too far._"

Atobe gaped like a fish. He was being sung to by his roommate who could've just as easily sung to him in their apartment instead of out in the courtyard for everyone to hear. This was not happening, not to him.

"_Stealing through the night's uncertainties, love is where they are._"

As the song began to wind down, Atobe finally snapped out of his trance. "Yuushi, what was that for?"

Oshitari played a last few chords before replying. "I'm trying to serenade you, my one true love."

"From the courtyard of _our_ apartment where everyone can hear you?"

He didn't hesitate. "Yep. It's the only way to prove my undying love for you, dearest Keigo."

Atobe rolled his eyes. "Get up here before the police are called."

"But Keigo darling," Oshitari began to back away, "it's not proper—"

"Get up here or you're sleeping down there again," Atobe growled. Oshitari waved to him and entered the complex door. Atobe slammed the window shut, trying not to picture him prancing up the stairwells and frightening the old lady who lived across the hall. Knocks on the door pulled Atobe's feet to the entryway.

"Keigo!" Oshitari called. "After asking me up here you're just going to let me stand out here?"

Eyes widening, Atobe pulled open the door and yanked Oshitari in. "Quit being so…Yuushi-ish!" he hissed. He shut the door and turned to have a bouquet of flowers shoved in his face. He spluttered and spat out a petal yelling, "Yuushi!"

Oshitari twirled over to a very convenient vase filled with water and put the flowers inside. He twirled back to plant a kiss on Atobe's cheek. "Do you know what today is?"

"Unfortunately," Atobe replied, surrendering to the madness and allowing Oshitari to do whatever the psychotic voices told him. "Now what?"

Smirking, Oshitari disappeared into the bedroom doorway. "Now we retreat for some quality time together." Atobe resignedly followed in. Knowing Oshitari, it was highly doubtful they'd be doing anything fun.

"What is that?" Atobe stopped suddenly and took a few steps backward from the _thing_. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is. Please, tell me you're not that far gone."

"So you don't think he's cute?" Oshitari grabbed an arm and waved it. "Look, he's even saying hi." The arm was attached to a giant stuffed bear holding a heart proclaiming _OY+AK 4ever_.

Arms crossed, Atobe glared at the thing. "No. I will not have that thing in here staring at me while I sleep. Yuushi, get rid of it. Now."

"Good point!" Oshitari brightened and began to drag the bear out. "I can't get the rest of the guys in here for the other song with this bear in here."

"No, Yuushi. No more songs, no more bears." Atobe pulled Oshitari away from the bear and finished kicking it out the rest of the way before shutting the door. "I'm tired. We can celebrate our anniversary this weekend. Now that you're home, I just want to go to sleep."

Smiling, Oshitari gently pulled Atobe on the bed, not bothering to change into pajamas. "I love you, Keigo." He snuggled up, getting a kiss in thanks. "I'll bring the guys back Saturday, then."


	30. Wigs Are Not Animals: OshiAto

**Title: **Wigs Are Not Animals  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Atobe, Oshitari – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **276  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Atobe requires input on his new hairdo.  
**A/N:** I know, I know. _More OshiAto? Can she write anything else anymore?_ The answer is yes, I can. Just this one and the next one, then I've got a bunch of requests done, just have to type them up. Tonight is spammage time.

* * *

Atobe picked at the wig, settling hairs into their places and purposely blocking out the snickers from the idiot behind him. "If you're done, I'd like you to tell me if it looks the same to you."

"Of course it does." Oshitari wrapped his arms around Atobe and kissed the wig. "Though I do stand by my statement that it looks like a dead animal."

Whipping around to hit Oshitari caused the hairpiece to slip to one side and Atobe to screech. "Get out!" Oshitari skipped out after kissing the lopsided wig again. It followed him out the door and hit the back of his head with a light _thump_.

Opportunity spotted, Oshitari picked up the wig and cried, "See, it's trying to escape!" He ran out to the balcony overlooking the Atobe estate. "Be free little animal!" He threw it off the edge to allow it to escape.

Floating gently to the ground, the wig heard a war cry from above. Then a pair of glasses crashed into it and sent it hurtling down to bounce off the ground.

"Yuushi!" Atobe held Oshitari half way over the railing, threatening to let go and have him topple over. "Give me back my hair or I will murder you right here!"

Choked with laughter and not caring he was hanging over the edge of certain death (or four meters,) Oshitari pointed down to the ground where the wig innocently sat. "It's down there."

Atobe screamed and gave one last push, almost sending him over the edge. He then disappeared back inside to run down to get the hairpiece, not willing to let anyone else see his shame.


	31. Patch of Sun: OshiAto

**Title: **Patch of Sun  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oshitari, Atobe – Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **239  
**Warning(s): **Fluff  
**Summary: **Falling asleep was not on Oshitari's agenda.  
**A/N:** Am not obsessed. Seriously. Meganebucks, week 16. Zoe is a bully.

* * *

It wasn't often that Oshitari fell asleep while waiting for Atobe. Usually, it was the other way around with Atobe exhausted from meetings and paperwork and Oshitari wide awake. This time, the patch of sun warming his spot combined with the comfiest chair in the house was too much and sent Oshitari off to dream land.

Or that's what Atobe guessed as he returned home from work to a body curled up in the chair, smiling and murmuring nonsense. Pulling his coat off, Atobe tossed it on top of Oshitari, waiting for some sort of reaction. Nothing.

The coat sat snugly across Oshitari's face, its new wearer not noticing a thing. Atobe frowned and walked over to pick it up. Oshitari slept on, happy at some figment of his subconscious and oblivious to his surroundings.

Atobe bent down to kiss Oshitari's head. "Wake up, Yuushi. Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

A hand reached up to rub at eyes but ran in to a pair of glasses. Oshitari blinked; he'd fallen asleep with the glasses on.

Laughing, Atobe pulled them off. "Now look at you, you've got lines all around your eyes." He kissed him again before Oshitari regained his senses and left to change out of his suit.

Oshitari couldn't decide if he wanted to get up and follow Atobe or fall back asleep. In the end, both happened as he curled around Atobe and drifted back off to sleep.


	32. Hat Games: FujiRyo

**Title: **Hat Games  
**Rating: **PG  
**Characters/Pairings: **Fuji, Tezuka, Ryoma – Fuji/Ryoma  
**Word Count: **280  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Fuji always gets what he wants.  
**A/N:** For **luckystar03**, FujiRyo. End of fic spam for the night, bed time.

* * *

It never seemed like they actually did anything at tennis practice anymore. The team lazed about the courts, talking and with a few playing for-fun games. Fuji watched the courts through mostly closed eyes before noticing Echizen sleeping on one of the benches with a towel draped over his head and cap perched on top.

Target located, Fuji wandered towards Echizen, making side trips like distracting Eiji from showing off by shouting into his ear and then pushing between Momo and Kaidoh as they started another fight. Finally standing over Echizen, Fuji grabbed the hat and put it on his own head before walking over to sit next to Tezuka, who happened to be watching Inui watching him.

"What are you doing, Fuji?" Tezuka asked, not taking his eyes off Inui and his scribbling pen. His captain responsibilities demanding he make sure nothing too traumatizing would happen.

Fuji smiled. "Nothing for you to worry about." Tezuka sighed before standing up to go tell Inui to stop trying to stalk him. A shadow fell over Fuji from behind. He leaned his head back. "Yes, Ryoma?"

"Give me back my hat, Fuji-senpai," Echizen demanded, eyes still slightly blurry from sleep.

Fuji gave one quick glance around to see who was watching before answering. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

Echizen rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what Fuji wanted. He pulled the cap off and leaned down to kiss him. Pulling the hat back on his own head, Echizen walked over to ask Tezuka for a match. Fuji smiled as he left, hearing Momo's spluttering. It never failed to amuse him that a kiss could send Momo into an embarrassed fit.


	33. Horseback Riding: Gen

**Title: **Horseback Riding  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Sanada, Yukimura, Kirihara, Yagyuu - None  
**Word Count: **485  
**Warning(s): **Pseudo-horse knowledge  
**Summary: **On the Yukimura ranch, Sanada still fails.  
**A/N:** For **Tora**, Yukimura, Sanada, and Kirihara prompt: horses. This is what popped into my head. And quick disclaimer: I haven't ridden horses in years, most of this is made up.

* * *

The sun rose bright and early on the Yukimura ranch. Thankfully, Sanada was used to waking up at early hours. He got up to go see where Yukimura had disappeared to. He found him in the stable, rubbing down one of the horses.

"Who's this one?" Sanada brought his hand over to rub at the horse's nose.

Yukimura finished brushing the legs before answering. "Yagyuu. He tends to be the more well behaved."

Sanada looked around at the stalls. "You've gotten a couple of new horses since last time I was here." He walked over to one that was fidgeting around in his stall. "What about him?"

"That's Kirihara." Yukimura walked closer, causing the horse to move even more frantically, snorting and pawing at the ground. "He's our newest and acts almost wild at times." Yukimura patted Kirihara's nose as the nostrils flared. "For some reason, he always acts a little crazier when Renji or I are around, but once you start riding him, he becomes completely docile."

Lunging out, Kirihara tried to kick Sanada and earned a slap across his front foreleg. He skittered back and lowered his head to gently run into Sanada.

"We're not quite sure why he's like that. After he attacks, he always wants to be rubbed down." A couple of brushes were pulled out and Yukimura convinced Sanada not to hold the kick against the horse. "When we put them out, he always tries to escape. The new Brazilian breed, Jackal," Yukimura nodded towards a dark chestnut snickering at his reddish-brown neighbor, "somehow keeps him inside the pen. Of course, Niou is happy for a new partner-in-crime

Niou was a beautiful silvery-white horse who was alternating between watching Yukimura and bothering Yagyuu. Yagyuu was the only one free to walk around the stable, a fact he generally flaunted Niou was staring and neighing at him.

"What happened to your other horses?" Sanada only saw the five horses in the barn.

Yukimura waved him off. "They're fine. They're up at another farm." He pulled out a saddle and began putting it on Kirihara. "Come on, let's go riding. You can take whichever one you want."

Yagyuu trotted over, already knowing that Sanada was taking him out because he was always falling off and Yagyuu at least knew to stop and wait for him to get back up. Putting the saddle and bridle on was the easy part, Sanada getting and staying on was hard. "Remember to tighten the chest strap again," Yukimura reminded as he led Kirihara out and hopped on.

Eyeing the sable and hoping it wouldn't move, Sanada climbed on and let Yagyuu lead the way out.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Yukimura shouted as Kirihara cantered past and out into the fields. Sanada made sure he was secure before urging Yagyuu to follow slowly. It wasn't until the edge of the field that Sanada fell off with a yell.


	34. First Impressions Partial: Gen

**Title: **First Impressions (Part)  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Yagyuu, Niou - None  
**Word Count: **867  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Yagyuu, Niou, and how their doubles partnership came to be.  
**A/N:** Leaving for two weeks. Here's part of a WIP to tide you over. And blah blah, Yagyuu and golf. Creative license.

* * *

The first time they see each other is at a beach. They ignore each other as perfect strangers generally do. Yagyuu sits on his towel and reads his mystery novel while Niou plays in the water with his sister. Neither pays any attention to the other, believing they will never meet again. They are ten.

The second time they run into each other is the first day of middle school. They follow the wave of students to the classroom, Yagyuu trying not to run into anyone while Niou purposely does. They end up in the same class on opposite sides of the room. Neither remembers the other nor do they care to.

When they have to introduce themselves, Niou refuses. Yagyuu just states he has a sister and enjoys reading before sitting back down. By the end of first period, Niou has made half a dozen friends though he doesn't consider them such. Yagyuu sits alone.

They both end up joining the tennis club. Nobody takes notice as all eyes are focused on a group of three freshmen destroying all the upper classmen in their path. Niou and Yagyuu go to practice as normal, picking up tennis balls and practicing their swings with the rest, but always keeping their eyes out for a chance to join in the Regulars.

It isn't until after summer when the two finally interact.

Yagyuu is reading yet another book on the bus home. There are only a few other people on, one of them Niou. He snickers when the bus jerks to a halt and the book goes flying out of Yagyuu's loose grip. It lands at Niou's feet. He picks it up and starts flipping through it for no reason other than to see what the other boy would do, hoping for some fun.

He's disappointed. Yagyuu lets him keep it until the bus reaches his stop. He stands up and walks over to Niou, politely asking for the book back. Niou doesn't hand it over. Yagyuu just turns and leaves before the bus takes off with him still on it.

A week later, Niou gives the book back before class. No words are exchanged; the book is dropped with a thump and Niou slinks to his seat right as the teacher enters. Yagyuu puts the book away.

That afternoon as he finishes the mystery book in his room, he notices a note written in the back cover. _You call this a mystery? It was obvious._

* * *

Rikkai wins the Nationals. The third years retire. Yukimura formally takes over the tennis club though no one doubted who ran it before. The remaining club members jostle for the open Regulars spots. Practice is filled with club members challenging each other, trying to gain attention from the newly instated captain and vice-captain. Niou and Yagyuu are among the bunch, trying to reach for the top and ignoring all else.

Miraculously, they are both chosen to be part of the new Regulars. Their first drill: finding a good Doubles pair. Rikkai has many talented Singles players, but they can only be kept if they have some aptitude for Doubles as well. For three weeks, the Regulars would be paired off with someone each week and required to stay together inside and outside school. The first week, Niou paired off with Kirihara while Yagyuu paired off with Yukimura.

The Niou-Kirihara pair doesn't last four days. Kirihara comes screaming into the clubroom on Thursday, yelling of Boogeymen and how they are going to take him away to be made into lima beans. Yukimura spends the next hour trying to calm him down. Niou relaxes on a bench, smirking every time Kirihara glances his way, undoing Yukimura's progress.

Niou is not allowed to be alone near Kirihara again. Instead, Yukimura accompanies Niou for the rest of the week with Yagyuu keeping Kirihara out of the way. Niou promises himself to never let Kirihara go running to Yukimura again; the guy is scary when all smiley and mad. Yagyuu just hopes the rest of the month would not be as headache inducing.

Yagyuu's hopes are crushed when the pairs for the second week are called out. Niou begins to plot in glee.

After practice, Niou strolls over to Yagyuu and drawls, "So. Am I coming to your place or are you coming to mine? After all," he leers, "we've got to spend all our time together."

Yagyuu ignores the question until he finishes buttoning up his shirt. "We may go to my house if that is no problem for you," he answers. Without waiting for confirmation, he leaves and beings the walk to the bus stop.

"You got any hot older sisters?" Niou asks, catching up with Yagyuu.

He answers with a look. _Do you really expect me to answer that?_

_Of course._ Niou smirks in return. Yagyuu rolling his eyes is almost completely hidden, but Niou catches the barest glimpse of it and his smirk widens.

"No, I don't have any older sisters."

"Shame, that." The bus pulls up and they hop on. The bus engine is the only thing to break the silence. They both look out the windows, sneaking glances when the other isn't looking.


	35. Rains: OshiAto

**Title: **Rains  
**Rating: **G  
**Characters/Pairings: **Oshitari, Atobe - Oshitari/Atobe  
**Word Count: **367  
**Warning(s): **None  
**Summary: **Even a bit of rain cannot stop Oshitari's sense of romanticism.  
**A/N:** Not dead, really, just swamped by school work. Have mostly migrated to LiveJournal, actually. Will be doing NaNoWriMo as well and probably posting it over there. And the thing with the heart shaped stone? Heard about at some park in Nagasaki.

* * *

"It's said that if you find a heart-shaped stone, you'll find true love." Oshitari clasped his hands together. "Wouldn't it be wonderful to find one, Keigo?"

Atobe rolled his eyes. "That's just some story cooked up by old ladies who have no other love than their cats." He glared out the window at the rain that had chased them inside a tacky gift shop. "I thought you said you checked the weather forecast." He turned his irritation towards the one responsible for dragging him out today.

Frowning, Oshitari played with a rack of phone charms. "I did. Sunny, no chance of rain." He dangled a Hello Kitty charm in front of Atobe. "Aren't things more fun when they aren't all planned out?" No answer. Atobe was steadfastly ignoring Oshitari and had his gaze focused on something outside. Oshitari huffed, pulling Atobe away and out the door of the store to stand on the porch.

"Yuushi, if you even think about it…" Oshitari paid him no mind and jumped out into the rain, which had become more of a drizzle by now. He had let go of Atobe and left him on the porch as he splashed his way across the garden to another shelter. "Yuushi!" Grumbling and complaining about what the rain would do to his hair, Atobe followed after, somehow managing to soak the entirety of his left pant leg in a puddle.

When he had made it to the next shelter, Oshitari went out into the rain again and stopped under a tree, waving Atobe over. Atobe shook his head; he wasn't going out into the rain again.

"Here." One of the old ladies who had been enjoying the garden before the rain held out her umbrella. "You should go see what your friend wants." Atobe waved it off, spouting something about chivalry before stomping over to see what Oshitari wanted, also soaking his other pant led in the process.

He growled as he reached the tree. "Look at my hair! What's so important that I had to go traipsing about in the rain?" Oshitari smiled and pointed under Atobe's feet.

There laid a heart-shaped stone, hidden among the stones that made up the walkway.


End file.
